PERSPECTIVE

I'm back after a month abroad with family - England, France, Denmark and Sweden were the destinations (Sweden, you moved me). It was an inspiring, enthralling, tiring, challenging, significant time. Much of the time was spent in cities, therefore this was not a wildlife-spotting extravaganza. Wildlife-spotting was incidental. It was all about the thrilling rush of culture, architecture, galleries, museums, cafes, restaurants, design shops, music stores, bridges, cathedrals, Viking rune stones and warm blueberry soup! When I had the chance, I wandered in woods in France and Sweden (between bursts of crossing frozen lakes and swamps!). Dense and open woods of birch, spruce, pine etc. Woods with very few birds in them and little variety re. species, frustratingly. How I longed to see a Black Woodpecker. At times, I felt all I was watching were Blue Tits, Great Tits and Wood Pigeons. A hare, grey and red squirrels, four roe deer and some sort of microbat in Copenhagen were the only native animals I came across in four weeks. This reinforced how fortunate I am to live in a fauna-rich area - I was profoundly struck by this towards the end of my trip. So, it's grand to be home. LJ, May 6 2013.